New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-31
TIE WHOLESOME BITTER.


Criticism is not hostIitv. neither is 1t scorn
The motive that impe,s thoughtful observer of
contemporary affairs to condemn much that Is
accepted by the Multitude is not the wish merely
TO injure or TO contemptuously decide or dismiss
the popular --~a'o~-i4~ but the desire that the
age shall excel in all kinds OF worth, and that
the people shall both be the best and have the
hest. The poet Pope, q superb writer but faila-
cious philosopher landed on the comfortable doc
trine that whatever is Is right MIR. Chaloote
the brewer in Tom Robertson's comedy Of ours"
announced the freer though less agreeable. and
n course semi-sincere conclusion, that what
ever Is is wrong" There are writers by the
score who celebrate day after day the glories OF
the present age, and continually minister TO the
vanity OF the people by informing them that they
are little lower than the angels Such writer's
are not the source of strength and help. This
world does not prosper through being coddled.
Too much Is heard about the rights OF man;
far too little about his duties. The mornlists
who frankly, even harshly, tell a people the
truth, when that people. as often happens, is
doing wrong and going wrong. are better friends
Of mankind than either the Hnttercrs or the
echoers OF the popular mood and conduct.
Man is O brotherhood. In old Roman days
it WAS a maxim with the ariStocrats Of mind
and OF rank that the common people like TO be
deceived; deceived let them be-" That maxim
was the quintessence OF selfshness-a selhshness
that the better part of the intellectual world
in the present day has outgrown and cast behind.
There cannot be one law for persons OF superior
mental endowments and another law for the
rest knowledge avais nothing unless IL be
communicated. Blessings are but half blessings
IL you keep them 70 yourself. Those who have
clear vision and stalwsrt strength OF soul should
lead the rest Of the world The advancement OF
all human beings concerns every thinking mind.
The safety and comfort of the top OF the pyramid
depend on the security OF the base. Your
enlightened philosopher well knows that IL Is
both selflntcrest and benevolence TO keep the
multitude In the right patb-to civilize, to refine,
TO lead upward the masses Of mankind, so that
their eyes may he opened 70 beauty. their minds
to truth. and their hearts 20 gentieness and
aspiration. This guidance OF the people Is the
duty of the critical thinker, and IL he performs
that duty thoroughly and well he will often
speak in terms Of censure, and he will make his
censure strong enough TO be felt and TO be
productive Of good results
Observation, with extended view, perceives
that people in general are deeply interested
in what they call their amusements than in
their serious occupations. You must study
popular amusements therefore, II you wish TO
understand the mental condition and tendency
Of the people. These matters cngross much
attention, and IL is through the discussion and
guidance Of their amusements that the people
are most easily and directly reached and affected.
The methods Of this discussion and guidance
both long in vogue, are sharply contrasted in
contemporary practice-that Of universal puffery
and that OF objection and remonstrance. The
former largely pred dominates, and It is working
great evil by MAKING bad matters worse. Within
the last two three ycars-although noble and
beautiful works have been shown, and several
important advance steps have been talSen-a com
plete avalanche OF trash has been cast upon our
stage, and our people have accepted it and they
have. practically. approved it. Whyp For the
reason, partly. that scarcely a voice among public
censors has been raised against this fragrant abuse
Of the theatre. On the contrary, the public has
been told to accept it, has been praised for
accepting il, and has been prompted 10 encourage
the extension of it. I'VE are. a hard-worSng
nervous, tired communicates runs the stream
Of mischievous twaddlc-" and we need recreation
When we go to the theatre we want TO be amused.
We do not want TO think. Let us have some
thing lighti' Thus cajoled. and thus cajolng
itself, the popular Intelligence surrcnders folly
and the average theatrical manager, not troubled
with excess OF brains, dumps forth his Dixeys
and his Rag Babies, his Lillian Russels and his
Parlor Matches, and complaccntly remarks. Il
must give em what they want"
The writer's and the managers who reason in
that way do not reason well 1t was unfortunate
that the custom OF viewing the stage as an
amusement" ever came TO prevail; for the stage
is an institution far higher and finer than any
amusement, and it possesses at the present epoch
an influence upon society second only to that OF
the hearthstone and the altar. But even viewing
IL as one Of the amusements, no man has a right
to degrade its character impair its usefulness.
III we overwork ourselves, q community, let
quit this injurious and useless custom. Every
body knows that there Is considerable amount
Of humbug In the general pretence Of excessive
labor. About half OF the activity that people
commonly call work" consists OF parade and
pother. The actual work OF the world Is done
quietly by the minority. and usually II does not
occupy all the time exhaust all the strength Let
us economi7 energies and stop the snorting
and the II we are "tired" and nervous
we can surely rest and refresh the nerves with
out turning our stage into playground for idiots
and RELOCATING the theatre TO the position OF
hospital for victims of megrims and dyspepsia.
Sick persons are In no fit condition 70 compre-
bend the drama, and even II they were, the
actor Is not an apothecary. The time fer going